Raining Cats & Dogs
by Tie-grr
Summary: Haytham gets into a little trouble whilst travelling through the woods. A certain somebody is there to help him out. There are spoilers in this story right from the very beginning for anybody who has not gotten a decent portion through the game. If you do not wish to have the story ruined, turn away now.
1. Wolves

**A FINAL WARNING; THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS. DO NOT READ IF;**

**#1 YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE GAME**

**#2 YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS**

_This story will be a few chapters long, I hope, I will be juggling it with my Professor Layton story and two other ideas I have on the go. I hope that there are some people out there who will enjoy this piece but, regardless, I need some Haytham fics so I will be continuing ;)_

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Snow crunched under each step of his boot, the sound satisfying in the beautiful silence of the frontier. He was used to city life, he thrived in such environments, but it was always nice to take some time out to enjoy the countryside. Since coming to Boston, to the Colonies, he had had very little chance to actually take time out and relax. Recruiting those sympathetic to his cause had taken all of his free time. Although it was the mission with which he had been charged and the entire reason he was even in the country it was nice to have a few hours to just think. So much was going on, trying to locate the precursor site, and freeing the slaves, even taking care of that tyrant Silas. The fact that Benjamin had dealt with him made no difference, he was still gone.

The soft crunch of snow underfoot soon changed to a much heavier sound as he travelled from the beaten path through the thick snow. He grimaced when the snow nearly came up to his knee, far past the top of his boot. His toes were cold enough as it was without his whole lower leg having to join in. He wasn't used to travelling across the countryside and the trees were out of the question. When following Ziio he had attempted to follow her in the canopy and that had only resulted in him nearly twisting his ankle. Such an injury would have crippled him for too long in his mind; he needed to be able to free run to properly carry out his tasks.

He was sure he looked like an imbecile as he picked one leg up high to take the next step but the snow was far too deep to do anything else. He would be exhausted after a few metres if he tried to force his way through the deep snow, lifting over it was the only way. He wasn't use to such temperatures and such depths of snow. His breath puffed out in front of him in white clouds, almost blending in with his white surroundings. Everything was white.

The truth of it was, he had not come out here just for a walk. He had come out in search of Ziio but had no idea where she was staying. He had travelled to Concord and through Lexington to no avail. He knew that she lived in a village in the Northern part of the frontier and had begun his journey North. He had entered the Frontier from Boston and travelled South-East then North again. His internal compass was spot on.

From time to time he stumbled across some redcoats but they were quickly dispatched. Blood stained the snow but he managed to successfully hide the corpses in a variety of bushes and hay bales. Usually he would just abandon them but the red coats stood out against the snow like a sore thumb. He had yet to come across any of the dangerous animals which inhabited the forest but there was plenty of land yet to transverse.

He stilled when a rustling in the bushes caught his attention. He was deathly still, not wanting to aggravate whatever wild creature may be lurking in the wilderness. He wasn't sure where he was now but, thinking back on the map he had been reading down in the Green Dragon Tavern, he was somewhere around the Diamond Basin. And that was close to where Ziio's village was located. He was close to finding her!

He let out a sigh relief when a fox rushed out of the bush and scurried away with a squeak of fear, the little creature obviously hadn't expected to see a human. He smiled to himself and let the fox run off; he had no reason to harm it. Up ahead was a rocky outcrop which rose several metres into the air. It would be perfect to get a better look at his surroundings.

He picked his way through the snow to the first rock and hauled himself onto the giant boulder. He took a moment to brush the snow from his trousers, the cold stinging his hands. But he wasn't too bothered now. At first the snow had bitten into him a lot worse but he was gradually getting used to the cold. Unless he found the precursor site this place would end up being his new home.

The cold wind blew past him causing his ponytail and robes to flap in the breeze. A particularly strong gust nearly took his hat from his head and he quickly held it down.

"Nice try, Mother nature." He muttered good heartedly to the open world.

It was difficult to get a particularly good view of the surrounding lands due to the thick trees which grew but he could just about make out a wooden palisade a couple of hundred metres away. But the biggest difficulty he had in getting there was making his way down the sheer cliff that stood between him and the village. It looked like it would take him a while to skirt around it but he had time. He was glad he had left the horse behind; the poor beast would not have managed this.

He carefully held onto a thick tree branch and tried to slide his way down the small part of the slope. The rest he would have to be more careful with. About one hundred metres away but only three or four metres further down from his starting point he heard another rustling noise. But this time it was accompanied by a low warning growl.

"Wolves.." He sighed, a flick of his wrist drawing his hidden blade from the old gauntlet he still wore. The Assassin insignia may be rusted but the blade was in perfect condition. And he would need it.

The beast growled and leapt from the bushes. Haytham quickly dropped to one knee and the wolf flew over his back but the beast quickly turned and lunged for the Templar again. Its large jaws closed around his forearm but thankfully his gauntlet was thick enough to dull the impact of its sharp teeth. He swung around and slammed the canine into a tree. It yelped and let go, dropping to the snowy ground where he plunged his hidden blade through its throat, ending its life.

Haytham was really quite proud of himself. He wiped the blade off in the beast's fur then let it retract back into its mechanism. He had dealt with a rabid dog or two in his travels around Europe but never had he had to dispatch a wolf before. And he thought he had done quite a good job of it.

He wiped a bit of slobber off his gauntlet and turned to continue on his journey when suddenly.. A roar, the likes of which he had never heard before sent the nearby rabbits racing into their hidey holes. The Templar abruptly turned to face his attacker, total shock filled his body and suddenly it all went dark.


	2. Cougar

_I think I am going to start a couple of viewpoints for Ziio soon.. But anyway, this is the second chapter I am putting up tonight, the other belonging to my Layton story. As it is my 20__th__ birthday today this is a sort of birthday gift.. From me.. On my birthday.. To you lot.. Oh well! I hope you enjoy, more to come soon!_

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The first thing he was aware of was the dull pain in the back of his head upon which he was currently resting. Before he'd even opened his eyes he recognised a very different kind of pain on his chest. When he attempted to move a sharp pain shot up through his chest and a soft groan escaped his lips. He had spent years training as both as Assassin and a Templar then spent his adult life getting into fights and killing, he was used to feeling pain and getting injuries. But this pain, the one in his chest, felt like none he had felt before.

The throbbing in his head he recognised as most likely coming from him hitting his head. But lifting his arm was hard enough, let alone lifting his arm _and _his head in sync to feel for a bump or wound. And he had not even bothered to open his eyes yet. He could see that it was light outside through his eyelids but that was it. He didn't want to open his eyes, not yet. He was clearly safe, the beast that had jumped him was clearly gone and he heard no people around him.

Wait, where had he been? The Frontier, that was it. So he doubted there would be many people, unless some red coats or frontiersmen had found him. Sounds alone were of no help so he relied on his other senses, all without sight. He didn't have it in him to open his eyes just yet.

He could hear a fire crackling nearby but very little wind; he definitely didn't feel any wind. But he did feel the cold, more than he should. That was when he realised his chest was bare, although something had been draped over his body. It was soft fur, some sort of animal pelt no doubt. Whatever it had belonged to it was keeping him very warm. A terrifying thought suddenly hit him and his eyes shot open.

His chest was bare. He was lying flat on his back and the pelt covering him was also flat. No pistol, no sword. A slow, delayed movement of his wrist confirmed his lack of hidden blade. He was completely helpless.

But at least now that his eyes were open he could see where he was. He was staring straight up at the roof of a tent, his eyes slowly coming into focus. He turned his head to the side and again saw only tent. He seemed to be lying on the ground in a soldier's tent and was covered in.. It was black and very large. Bear, perhaps? He didn't really care so long as it kept him warm. If he was in a tent that meant the cold snow was now far from him and without clothes on his upper half he could use the fur.

The next question that flittered into his groggy mind was why he was bare-chested. It had to be to do with the pain in his chest. With immense concentration he lifted his arm and carefully dragged the pelt down to his waist. His fingers brushed over what should have been skin and hair but instead found rough material. It was tight against his skin and rather constricted his breathing now that he thought about it.

He was beginning to lose patience with his inability to both think straight and move with any degree of speed or accuracy. He was desperate to snap out of it and find out what was going on. But he felt so tired that he didn't even manage to pull the fur back up over his chest before he fell back into the realm of unconsciousness.

Cool hands touched his bare chest and woke him from his deep slumber. Somebody was touching his chest but not directly. They seemed to be unwrapping something from around him.. The rough material! Must be a bandage. Yes, that made sense. Whoever had found him was taking care of him. The cold touched his bare skin as the bandages were pulled back and a shiver ran through his body.

"It's all right, you will be warm soon." A soft female voice sounded beside his ear and he immediately relaxed, much to his surprise. The woman slipped her hands under his shoulders and pushed him into a seated position. He groaned softly but she wouldn't let him lie back down. One of her hands rested firmly on his back whilst the other seemed to be removing the bandage entirely from his torso. Only then did she let him lay back down.

Something warm and wet touched his chest and his muddled mind managed to come to the conclusion that his saviour was washing him. She must be changing the bandages she had applied. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wandered what he had done to this woman to deserve such kindness from her.

"What happened?" His voice was hoarse from lack of use and barely more than a whisper but it seemed the woman heard him.

"You proved that I was right. You really are touched in the head."

"Ziio?" Now it had clicked. He was searching for her, after all, and it seemed that she had managed to find him. His eyes opened and he looked up into the beautiful face of Kaniehti:io.

"Do women regularly say such things to you?" She continued to gentle clean his wounds and it was only when the wet fabric returned to his chest that he looked down at the damage.

Across his mid torso were three large gashes, crossing the entire width of his chest. The centre wound had been stitched together with some sort of material, clearing the deepest. The other two were shallower and had been deemed unworthy of stitching. He supposed that was a good sign. The wounds were clean even before Ziio had gotten to them. She must have been taking very good care of him.

He lifted his hand to touch the stitches but only received a sharp slap on his fingers. He glanced up at her and she looked serious. "Don't touch. It needs to be left alone to heal."

"What happened?" He asked again, his voice a little stronger now.

"I saw you dispatch those wolves, seems you've developed a knack for getting rid of them." She referred to the time he had chased her through the woods and was attacked by wolves in the abandoned camp.

"I had never dealt with wolves until coming to this country. But you have not yet answered my question?"

"A cougar." He didn't remember seeing any cougars in the area. He had only ever seen one from afar so he was not sure what they truly looked like. She seemed to see his frown of confusion so she continued explaining what had happened. "The cougar was attracted to the sounds of the wolves growling. Probably curious as to what they had found. Instead of finding a deer or an elk, it found you and.."

"It swiped me. I see." He sighed heavily and dropped his head back down on the makeshift pillow.

"It was going for your throat when I got there." His hand automatically went to his throat as if to cover it from the now deceased attacker. "It's dead now."

She rinsed out her cloth in a basin of water and used a fresh, dry piece of linen to mop up any remaining water on his skin. He rested his head on his arm and watched her care for him so gently, taking care not to touch the stitches too much. It hurt but not as much as he had expected it too, her touch was so light.

"I need you to sit up. Now that you are awake you can help me with this. You're quite heavy."

He laughed, despite the pain it caused. "What do you expect?"

He managed to sit of his own accord, again it hurt him, but he knew that it was necessary. Fresh bandages were wrapped around his torso, the whole ordeal a lot easier for Ziio now that Haytham was awake and active. He actively held onto the bandages so she could secure them about his chest. She told him he could lay down when she was finished but he stayed where he was. He ran his hands over his face and then through his hair. Such an act gave him an idea of how long he had been in this tent. His hair was pretty much completely out of its red tie and there was a light coating of stubble on his cheeks.

"Thank you for caring for me, Ziio. You didn't need to."

"If I didn't step in you would be dead. Then who would help me to help my people?" He tilted his head, conceding that she had a good point. But he couldn't help but think there was something else to it.

He reached behind him and took the tie out of his hair, letting the long locks fall into his face. He didn't mind, there was no point in keeping it up in a ponytail if it was a complete mess anyway. He turned to face her, finally taking in his surroundings with a clear mind. It was dark outside so he smiled.

"Any dinner?"


	3. Hares

_Sorry it took so long, I had an issue with my laptop dying spectacularly! Should be putting out more chapters from now on ;)_

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Ziio looked at him incredulously, as if he had just asked her to get up and dance like a monkey whilst singing the British national anthem. He doubted that she knew what either of those were but the comparison still applied. He had only asked for some food and she was staring at him in disbelief. He gave her a small smile and changed tack.

"Ziio, I am truly thankful for you saving my life. I don't know how I am ever going to repay you. Especially as I am relying on you for the next few days I suppose. I am truly grateful."

One of those rare moments passed over the pair, one of those moments where she afforded him the smallest of smiles. He gave her a dazzling smile in return and she busied herself tidying away the items she had used to clean him.

"Are you really hungry?"

"Very. Thirsty too." He just about managed to force himself to his feet but his legs weren't quite ready to support his weight. He stumbled back a couple of steps until Ziio managed to wrap an arm around him and steer him to a small chair before he crashed onto his backside.

"You need to be careful; you were resting for three days." She scolded him softly.

"Three days?!"

"What did you expect? You were mauled by a cougar."

As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. His body had sustained several injuries over the years but never one so severe that he had been out for three days trying to recover. But judging by how his chest felt it wasn't overly surprising. It felt like he had had far too much to drink, fallen and hit his head then stabbed himself in the chest several times for good measure. Delightful.

He looked around the tent he was in, lit up by the lantern hanging near the middle. There was this small chair, a table, the makeshift bed on the floor and little else. His shredded clothes were in a pile in the corner, he knew by the navy and its trimmings. Sat on the table were several items, all his own. His hat and cloak sat beside a pile of his weapons. His pistol, sword, spare bullets, harness for it all and his hidden blade. Thankfully the leather harness had escaped unscathed; it would have been a disaster if that had been sliced.

"I set some traps earlier and have yet to empty them. We can skin the catch and I shall make us a stew."

"Thank you, Ziio."

"I will be a while so here." She handed him a pile of clothing, all of similar fabric to her own. "Find something that fits. These are from my village so I am unsure if they will fit, my people tend to be slighter than you.."

He raised an eyebrow but went through the clothing nonetheless, thankful for an extra layer as his own clothes looked pretty ruined. She left the tent whilst he sifted through the available shirts. They truly were quite small in some cases but he finally managed to find one that looked like it may fit. It took him a little trouble but he was soon covered in the tight material. It didn't constrict his breathing and was marginally annoying but he was just thankful for the warmth. He wouldn't be able to sit outside with so much bare skin.

Leaving his hair down he struggled back to his feet. This time he didn't come close to falling over but he did grab the table just in case. He was determined that he was going to get his hidden blade before he headed out into the cold wilderness of the frontier. He also scooped up the fur from the ground and slung it around his shoulders. He held it closed with one hand, the other carrying his hidden blade. The cold hit him hard when he exited the tent, surprising him. How could it be so warm inside the tent when it was still so cold outside?

There was a fire crackling in front of a log being used as a bench. There was no sign of Ziio so he perched on the log and set about fixing his gauntlet back on his forearm. He felt truly naked if he didn't have some form of weapon on hand or on his person. At least now he was prepared for any possible cougar attacks. He laughed to himself at the thought of another cougar coming after him but the sound covered up Ziio's approach.

"What is so funny?" She laid out two dead hares at the edge of the fire and crouched to skin the creatures.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking to myself."

"Is it normal to laugh at yourself?" She didn't even look up.

"No, I suppose not." He watched as she expertly skinned the hares and began to slice off the meat. "Do you want a hand with anything?"

"You will just get in the way."

He didn't bother her again, leaving her to it. He guessed she was very used to hunting and skinning animals, it was how she ate every meal of her day. She wasn't like him, having the food served up for him, prepared by somebody else. If he had ever settled down he may actually know how to cook up a meal for himself from scratch but really he knew very little. Only the small things Reginald had taught him on their travels.

He watched his companion place the fillets of meat to cook over the fire. Almost immediately the delicious smell of cooking meat filled his nostrils and he began to salivate. His stomach chipped in, growling eagerly in anticipation for the meal on the horizon.

"Why do you wear that?" Ziio sat beside him on the log and lightly touched his hidden blade.

"It is a weapon."

"I have seen you use it but this.." She turned his arm over and ran her finger over the rusted symbol. "What does this mean?"

He considered his answer for quite some time. There was every chance that she knew about the Assassins and the Templars and merely did not recognise the symbol of the Assassins. If she did know something about the struggle between the factions he knew that his story would be rather confusing.

"It is the symbol of the Assassins." He eventually spoke and she withdrew her hands.

"Why do you wear it? You are not an Assassin." She moved from his side to turn over the fillets of meat.

"I was born into the Assassin Brotherhood. You know of them?"

"Yes, the Templars also." She looked back at him, crouched on the ground beside the fire.

"Ah, yes. Must we speak of that now?" He flashed her a smile, not really willing to get into it. He did not wish to put her off spending time with him. He could already tell she wasn't overly fond of the Templars from the way she had spoken of them and he really did not want to upset her. After all, right now she was all that he had. She had saved his life and was taking care of him; the least he could do was keep the conversation light.

"I suppose not." She returned to her seat beside him and stared into the fire. Silence continued to draw out for several painful minutes.

He really wanted to get along with her; she had really captured his heart. But she continued to keep her distance from him no matter what he tried. Although, she did seem to be warming up to him very slowly. Slowly but surely! He just needed to find a topic which they could both happily talk about as a starting point.

"How did you learn to climb the trees so well?"

"It helps with hunting. I am sure you know the benefits of being up high when you are in your cities. Have you never tried to climb a tree before?"

"I used to do it all the time as a child but isn't that what boys do?" He laughed. "They climb all sorts of things and get into all sorts of scrapes."

"I suppose they do. But you cannot free run through the trees?"

"No, I cannot. I can barely even get up them; let alone fling myself from tree to tree. You do it with such grace.." He smiled at her and she actually smiled back at him. It was brief but definitely there.

"Would you be willing to learn? I can teach you as you heal. But you have to be prepared to do everything that I say and keep trying."

This was it, the break he had been searching for. Something they could bond over and he could finally spend some time with her. He could also get to learn a skill that would come in handy during his stay in this country. He would have one up on his enemies being able to climb above them. He may never be the best at it but if he could at least get up one of the tall trees that littered the frontier, that would be great.

"I will be the most attentive student the world has ever seen."


	4. Bear

The hare dinner was incredibly delicious, never before had he eaten a meal caught and made out in the wilderness like this. Ziio had cooked their dinner in relative silence after their conversation, not really interested in saying anything else to Haytham. But he was more than happy to just watch her work and fantasize about their classes in the morning. He truly could not wait, he almost felt like an excitable little child. Not only did he get to spend time with her but the ability to climb through the trees would help him to no end. He would have another one up on his enemies.

It didn't take that long for the hare to cook and before he knew it they were digging into the delicious meat. There was nothing else to eat with the meat but he supposed it was difficult to find anything else to go with them when you were stuck in the middle of the frontier in the thick winter snow. Usually he would have bread to go with his meal but you couldn't just fashion that in just one evening in the middle of nowhere. He supposed they could have had berries or something with it but he was not about to complain. She had already done so much for him.

Dinner passed with very few words until it came time for them to extinguish the fire and retire into the tent. As big as it had seemed when he had woken up inside of it, he realised now that it was going to be a tight fit for the pair of them. But they would need to be close together to keep warm, even under the furs she had for them. He left Ziio to extinguish the fire as he headed into the tent.

He carefully laid down his delightfully warm fur and started to take off the tight top he had been provided with. He didn't wish to sleep in it. It would restrict his movement even more than his injury did. It was only then that he realised how chilly it was in the tent. He pulled the fur back around his body firmly before he started shivering.

"You cold?" Ziio had joined him and was crafting a makeshift bed on the floor of a variety of furs and leathers.

"Better now.. What animal was this?"

"A bear." She formed a pillow out of a small pile and lay down on the floor.

"A bear?! And you killed it yourself?"

"Of course." She looked up at him. "That surprises you?"

"No, not at all." He hesitantly lay down at her side, keeping his distance as much as he could. "I am sure you are an incredible hunter. You saved my life, after all."

She seemed satisfied with his answer but another thing was irritating her. "Come here."

He had little choice for she took him by the arm and pulled him right up against her. She threw another fur over the pair of them and automatically cuddled into the soft bear fur that surrounded his chest. She was gentle to avoid hurting him but it was oh so nice. He wasn't sure whether he should put his arm around her but it seemed she had made that decision for him. She tugged his arm securely around her body and sighed ever so slightly.

"We need to keep warm." Was the only thing she said before closing her eyes. If he leant back every so carefully he could see that she had closed her eyes and for once looked peaceful. But it took some time before she actually fell asleep. He could bother hear and feel the change in her breathing but he didn't feel like sleeping just yet.

He'd had his fair share of nights spent curled up with beautiful women but never had it been this innocent before, and never had he felt such strong feelings towards the woman in his arms. He had only just admitted it to himself that he cared so much about her but it knew that it had happened the moment he saw her on that carriage. She had captivated him well and truly. In fact, it was the realisation that he felt so strongly for her that brought him into the wilderness that day to find her. He hadn't known what he'd say to her when he found her. But luck had been both nice and cruel to him all at the same time.

He watched her for several minutes before decided that it had been long enough, he really did need to get some sleep also. He needed all the energy that he could get for the morning, for his first lesson. If he could manage it.

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_Just a short one as a filler. More soon, folks! :D_


	5. Deer

Surprisingly, Haytham was the first to wake the next morning. He had expected Ziio to be up before him, that she would be literally kicking him to try and get him up and working on his free running. But no, he slowly woke to the sun filtering through a gap in the canvas entrance to the tent, landing on his face. It had been irritating him for quite some time and then he finally gave in, opening his eyes to the new day.

He stretched out his arms above his head and felt the weight on his chest shift slightly. He hadn't noticed how she was draped over him until he finally felt her move. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his face as he looked down at the top of her head. She seemed to still be sleeping peacefully and he did not wish to wake her so he carefully wrapped an arm around her. She moved again only to cuddle into him, much to his surprise.

There they lay for several minutes until the sunlight seemed to upset her also. When she began stirring, Haytham closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. He did not wish for her to start shouting at him for watching her sleep. He'd rather just have his memories of her slumbering form resting against his chest. With his eyes closed he felt her head lift from his chest then she pulled away from him. She must have stood immediately after because he suddenly felt a kick to his thigh. He lurched up, wincing when he felt a shock of pain in his stomach. He really shouldn't have done that.

"Come on, we must get going."

"Mustn't waste a single hour, I suppose?" He smiled up at her but she just ignored him and strolled out of the tent. He sighed heavily and forced himself to his feet.

She wasn't exactly warm to him, she never had been really. But he was expecting a little bit of a thaw now that she had woken up in his arms. Maybe that had just pushed her further away in the end. But, in preparation for his lesson, he got dressed and exited the tent just after her. She was standing near the dead fire, seemingly winding up some sort of rope. He guessed it was for more traps she would be making later on.

"I take it we are not having breakfast before we start?"

"No. We are going to catch our lunch whilst we are out practising. Gives you some incentive to actually try." She glanced at him over her shoulder.

"I was never going to do anything but my best, I can promise you."

She snorted, clearly not believing him, but gestured for him to follow her anyway. They travelled east from their camp towards a lake, beyond which stood a heavily forested area. He was unclear as to how she expected them to cross the lake until he realised there were several fallen trees creating a path over the icy water. Dread started to form in the pit of his stomach as he realised that this would be his first lesson.

"You fall off, you take a swim." Was all Ziio said before mounting the nearest tree.

"Are you kidding me?" She looked back at him and her face said it all. He really would be doing it. She at least had the decency to wait for him.

He jumped up onto a nearby snow covered rock and considered how he was going to get onto the tree. He supposed he should just jump, and jump he did. He grunted softly as he landed on the branch. The snow underfoot gave him little purchase and he slipped off the tree, narrowly avoiding a very painful landing. He scrambled to his feet out of the snow, brushing it off with his hands. When he looked up Ziio was trying not to laugh at him.

"I will do it! You'll see!" He hopped back onto the rock and this time did manage to keep his balance on the branch. This was the first step and he briefly celebrated his victory. Until Ziio deemed it time to move on.

He let out a sigh, watching his breath puff out in front of him before carefully picking his way along the fallen tree that lay before him. He was used to keeping his balance on the ropes which were strung across roads so a thicker tree wasn't too bad. It was just the snow that kept putting him off, the moss too. Normally the ropes weren't as slippery as these trees. But he managed the change over onto another horizontal tree pretty well. Ziio was waiting for him when he landed on the other side of the lake.

"You only fell once, and it wasn't in the water. Well done."

"Are you proud of me?" He grinned but predictably she just turned from him and calmly strolled into the woods.

All around them all forms of wildlife scattered from their presence, afraid of the humans who had no interest in them right now. He followed Ziio who was examining each tree as they passed them. Eventually she stopped beside a dead one, the top of which had long since rotted away. It was just a trunk; all that remained of the branches were stumps against the trunk. The native used them as hand and foot holds so she could climb to the flat top of the tree.

"From here," she called down to him, "you will jump onto that tree. You wait there; I am going to move on a bit so I can coach you."

He nodded his understanding and did exactly as she had done, using the small remains of branches to get to the top of the tree. That was the easy part, he realised, as he balanced atop the tree. He jumped into the 'v' shaped part of the tree and looked around for Ziio. He hadn't been watching her whilst climbing so he had lost her.

"Up here." She called and he lifted his head to see her perched high up a few trees away. "Now, see that branch above you and to your left. I want you to run up one side of the tree and grab that gap with your hand. Then pull yourself up."

He understood what she meant but putting it into practise may be a little more difficult. He considered it for several seconds until finally he decided to just run at it. He ran up either side of the split in the trunk and grabbed onto the gap. He quickly lost his footing so hauled himself messily up into the gap. He dropped into a seated position, wiping his brow.

"I suppose that is a success." She commented from a few trees over.

"I don't think I did too badly!" He defended himself, standing in the gap again.

"That is your opinion. Now, you need to carefully cross that branch then jump onto the next. With those skills under your belt, you can easily traverse the trees just like me. I am sure you already know that it will just take time for you to get used to running on branches instead of your solid stone. Also, they break often, so be prepared for the occasional fall."

"Occasional fall.." He repeated as he inched his way out along the narrow branch. Although it looked as though it shouldn't, the fragile piece of wood held his weight and even allowed him to spring across to the next tree. He looked over at Ziio with a cocky grin.

"The reason my people value this skill so highly is that it allows us to reach the feathers up high as well as hunting the animals on the ground more easily. I have already said we are going to catch our meal; I want you to do it. I shall demonstrate for you, but it is quite simple. You watch the animal then when it is in the right position and is still, jump." She turned on her heels, expecting him to follow at quite a fast pace.

He had only just learned how to properly move around in the trees and now she expected him to do it at a running pace? He grumbled to himself and reminded himself how much he cared about her. He would do absolutely anything to be able to spend more time with her. He chased after her for what had to be nearly ten minutes before she finally came to a halt, signalling for him to do the same. She gestured below them and he saw a raccoon sniffing at some flowers which were sticking out of the snow. Before he had even had time to register what colour the petals were the creature let out a sharp cry as Ziio dropped onto it, burying her dagger into its throat. Haytham stayed up high in the trees, slightly out of concern as to how he was supposed to get back up again. As he observed she skinned the animal and placed several items of its body into her pack. She then turned back to look up at him.

"When you kill an animal you take every usable part, not just the meat and the pelt. Each piece that can be used or sold must be taken; otherwise you have disrespected the animal by killing it for no reason." She patted her pack then secured it around her body once more. Within seconds she had clambered her way into the tree beside his again, much to his amazement.

"You are really agile.. It's very impressive." He smiled. "I understand, I shall take every part of any animal I kill. You will teach me which parts are important?"

"Of course. I knew you wouldn't know yourself, ignorant city man.." She muttered and started off back the way they came, leaving him to follow again.

A frown creased his brow as he followed her, trying to concentrate on where he was going but he kept getting lost in his thoughts. She thought of him as some ignorant man from across the ocean that had lived his whole life in the city and knew nothing of wildlife. If she continued to have that image of him he would have no chance with her, no chance of getting her to see the real him. He would have to change that one way or another. He was so caught up in his mental plans that he nearly missed her gesture to stop. She pointed down and gestured for him to use his hidden blade.

He carefully balanced on a branch and leant over to see the deer grazing below him. It was small but held enough meat to feed them for the evening that was for sure. The deer was settling down on a worn down patch, probably to sleep. Perfect time to strike. He carefully aimed and then dropped onto the deer's back. The creature cried out and tried to scramble out from under him but he quickly slit its throat, ending its struggle. He looked up for Ziio in the trees but couldn't see her; instead she had dropped onto the ground behind him.

"You were not as fast as I would have liked but it did not suffer long. At least you killed it quick." She crouched down beside him and pushed him off the animal. "I shall show you how to skin it. Give me your hands."

He did as she asked and held his hands out to her. She placed the dagger in his right hand then closed her own hands around them. With her expert hands she showed him how to swiftly and cleanly skin the creature. She released his hands to roll up the pelt and store it. She went on to show him which parts of the deer were good for meat and finally she took its heart.

"It's time we head back. You learn fast, I am impressed. And you successfully caught our meal. You should be proud of yourself." On the way back she led him along the ground instead of up through the trees.

"Are you proud of me?" He asked from beside her, his hands clasped behind his back as they walked the worn trail through the snow.

"Yes.." She admitted after a long silence, not even looking at him. "Yes, I am proud of you. Now, come on."

She jumped into a tree ready to cross the lake and he watched her, slightly stunned, slightly amused. She had admitted she was proud of him, which was a crack in the cold demeanour. He couldn't wait to spend the next night cuddled up in the tent together for warmth. Perhaps getting mauled by a cougar hadn't been that bad after all.


	6. Owl

Never had he tasted a meal so delicious in his life. He'd travelled to several countries in his twenty nine years in this world, tasted delicacies and foods from some of the best cooks of the time. But none of those meals could ever compare to that piece of venison which Ziio had cooked over the fire. Because _he'd_ killed it. He'd done the work and would have cooked it too if he had been confident that he wouldn't ruin the fresh meat. So Ziio had taken care of it for him. With a full belly and a strong sense of pride the templar settled down beside the gradually dying fire. He could feel Ziio's eyes on his back as he sat on the ground before the flickering flames.

"You're proud of yourself.." He turned to look back at her over his shoulder and smiled.

"I am. I have never killed an animal for food before. It feels good to have killed it for a good reason. Mind you, the only animals I have ever killed before then have attacked me." He turned back to the fire, toying with his hair ribbon. Eventually he reached up to put his hair back into its ponytail.

"Don't.."

He raised an eyebrow as he lowered his hands again. He shifted his body so he was half turned to face her and found that she was looking away from him. He could have sworn there was a slight blush on her cheeks. But then again it could have just been the light from the fire. He smiled to himself and instead wrapped the ribbon around his wrist. He tucked the strands into his vambrace so only the red tie was available just beneath the end of the cuff.

He turned back to the fire as she didn't speak again and he did not want to make her feel uncomfortable by asking her something to do with her protest against him tying up his hair. It was something small, a step in the right direction. He wondered why she did not want him putting up his hair, perhaps she just liked it? He could ask her but that would constitute pushing it. So instead he changed the subject.

"That meal was perfect. Thank you, Ziio, for teaching me how to hunt like that."

"You do one kill and you think you can hunt?" He heard a soft laugh behind him. "We shall be practising again."

"I know. And I want you to know that you are a good teacher." He turned his head so he could see her over his shoulder, his hair falling into his face. He didn't bother to fix the dark locks. "I enjoyed learning under you."

Now that he was looking straight at her he caught the slight blush as it grew on her cheeks and her lips pulled into the slightest of smiles. He couldn't help but smile himself. She seemed to have nothing to say to that so he stood up and tied his cloak around his shoulders.

"It's a beautiful clear night, why don't we go for a walk?" He offered her his hand even though they were quite a distance apart. She seemed to consider it before accepting but didn't take his hand. He guessed requesting she hold his hand was also pushing it.

She did wait for him to catch up the few steps between them and side by side they started to walk away from their camp into the cool, bright night. The moon was full in the sky and wolves howled in the distance but none were nearby. It was rather a peaceful night considering the dangers that often lurked in the shadows. Eventually they came to a lake and the pair mutually decided to settle down on an old log, in silence just as they had been whilst walking. The water lapped gently at the lake's shoreline, the snow on the edge having melted away. The water was of a slightly higher temperature than the land and gave them a little relief from the sharp chill in the air. But neither of them seemed to mind the cold, content being in each other's presence.

He was quite content in the silence until he noticed a slight shiver tremble through her shoulders. He untied his cloak and slipped it around his shoulders, carefully tying it at the side. He knew it would hold some of his body heat for her. He had fully expected her to just throw it back in his face but actually she just cuddled into the warm cloak, resting her face into the soft material.

"Thank you. It is quite cold tonight."

"It is. I couldn't let you just freeze." He smiled at her and for once she freely smiled back at him.

"Thank you, Haytham."

She was certainly in a good mood tonight and he loved it. In an attempt to keep her warm he shuffled to her side and slipped his arm around her, allowing her to share his body heat. He smiled when she just relaxed into his hold. He willed his heart to stop beating so quickly, surely she would feel it if it didn't calm. He hadn't felt this deliriously happy in.. Well, since he could really remember. It was nice to just enjoy life. He sighed happily and watched the lake ripple as a bird bounced off the surface. He guessed it was an owl, playing with the water.

"What were you doing in the forest when that cougar attacked you?" Her voice was so soft that he thought that she hadn't even spoken at first, that it had just been the wind.

"Why did I come out here?" He smiled as he remembered his thoughts just before he had been attacked. "I was coming out here to look for you. I couldn't get you out of my mind."

He knew it was a risk to say such a thing but he had felt it was right. To his immense relief she rested her head against his chest.

"Perhaps you should be more careful the next time you come out, intending for a visit. I don't want you to end up dead. I am far too fond of you for that."

It was remarkably difficult to keep his emotions in check right then. Really he wanted to just scream at the top of his lungs in excitement. But he did manage to keep himself calm and just grinned like a fool.

"I promise to be more careful next time. Does that mean you wish for me to visit you again?"

She lifted her head and, instead of speaking, gave her answer in the form of a gentle kiss to his cheek. If it was even possible, his grin grew even wider.


	7. Elk

Three days had passed since their little evening at the lakeside and there had been no further developments in their relationship that were worthy of note. They spent their days hunting and free running then their nights talking and preparing their day's spoils. Ziio was teaching him to not only free run between trees and how to hunt but she was also teaching him how to dry out skins. He had killed a fox two days previously and was very proud of the hide that was drying on the rack they had made over another fire on the edge of their little camp.

As much as he enjoyed city life he was really beginning to enjoy this quiet life in the frontier. He'd only been out here for a week or so but it was enough to ignite his interest in Ziio's way of life. /out here he had time to just sit and think. There was no lower class to disgust him and no upper class to wind him up. It was peaceful and was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen. With one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. If the Templars didn't need him so much he would happily attempt to prove his worth to Ziio and her village. Late at night, with Ziio tucked into his side, he would allow his mind to wander.

He could imagine a future with her. A wedding ceremony in the spring, before it got too hot, with a native feel to it. Or, at least what he imagined to be a native union ceremony. They would have two, maybe three kids. He would teach them to hunt just as she had taught him. They could swim, play, he could teach them English and swordplay whilst she could teach them their native tongue and crafts. It was a beautiful dream, a little piece of heaven on earth. But that was all it was. A dream. He would never have such a life.

He had only fallen from the trees once since he had begun his training and really it wasn't even that bad. But Ziio had told him off for falling, saying that he hadn't been paying attention. And that was actually true, he had been otherwise distracted.

They had been running all day and were searching for food at the time. The sun was threatening its decline in the sky but despite the growing chill they were both hot from the continuous exercise. . Ziio had stopped to remove her outer shawl and it was the sudden reveal of more skin that had eventually caused his fall. He'd fallen from a high branch to one far lower down. He managed to catch himself with minimal pain or damage, the only real issue was her yelling. But he hadn't cared; he had been enjoying the view instead. That night they had cooked up a couple of fish and a rabbit. He had also gained a greater respect for where his food came from and who prepared and cooked it.

She had promised him a lazy, relaxed morning before they headed out to hunt. She had decided she was going to teach him to make his own clothing as he had yet to even pick up his shirt, let alone wear it. The only thing he really wore over the clothes she had brought for him was his cape. But seeing as he was healing quickly and they both secretly wished to stay together longer she had suggested this little activity. This would keep him here a few more days at the very least.

Seeing as he didn't have to go straight off running he decided that this morning he would finally take the time to shave. He had no mirror and no razor so his dagger would have to do. It had been many years since he'd had to shave whilst out of civilisation but he had done so. He settled down in front of the fire and ran his fingers through his hair. It was beginning to get a little tangled as he hadn't been putting it up that often. Ziio had requested he leave it down and he had come to the conclusion she liked the look of him with his hair loose and wild. He had even gotten used to having it down.

He rested back against the log that doubled as their bench and heated his blade in the fire just in case he cut himself. He wiped the scorched soot off on his trousers then started to carefully shave. Of course it was far from a clean shave and he cut through his skin in more than one place but at least his beard was somewhat at bay now. He ran his hand over his chin, it was still slightly stubbly but it would have to do. He paused when something suddenly touched his hair. His eyes widened slightly when he felt a brush running through his tangled hair. She was actually brushing his hair?

He lowered his dagger to his side and smiled as Ziio brushed his hair out for him. It hurt at first because of the tangles but soon it was running through smooth, soft hair. He hadn't had somebody brush his hair for him since he was a child and he realised now how truly nice it was to have somebody else gently grooming you. His eyes were closed and he was in such a state of bliss that he barely even noticed her putting his hair up in a ponytail with his little red ribbon. She must have noticed his lack of reaction because before he knew it her lips were on his cheek.

"We should go and find some berries for breakfast." She whispered beside his ear then was gone. He turned in time to see her crossing the snow, heading out into the wilds of the frontier. He pushed himself to his feet and trotted after her.

"What are we looking for today?" He was eager to progress, try to take down some bigger prey. The deer had been his biggest kill but now he wanted to hint bigger game. Something more substantial, something that could feed more than just the two of them even though there would only be the two of them around to eat it. Mainly he was interested in the skin. An animal larger than a deer would give him plenty of skin to work with in order to make some clothing.

"Well, once we have some breakfast I was thinking of hunting an elk. They are normally found to the east of where we are camped." She stopped at a bush and started to pick off the darker berries, instructing him to do the same. "We can take what we need then give the extra meat to my village, a few miles away. If you are up for a visit?"

He was shocked by her offer; she was actually willing to take him to her village. "Will your people not have a problem with that?"

"Not if you are with me. And you shall be bringing them something they can use, they will appreciate that." She gave him a small, reassuring smile and he did feel like it was going to be okay.

"So, elks to the east? Are we going to jump them like we did to the deer?"

"Yes, it is easiest that way. You could always go for them head on but you need to be fast or they shall charge at you. Those antlers can do some serious damage if you are not careful. I know a man who was gored by an elk, it caught him just right."

He winced as he imagined being gored by an elk's antler. That had to have been a brutal attack and a horrific sight to see. He would take a jump from the trees to kill the beast and watch out for those antlers just as much. He figured landing on them wouldn't skewer him but it would do some serious damage.

Together they took their berries back to the camp and had their breakfast. From there it was a walk east to get to the region where elk was plentiful. Within a few minutes he noticed a male and two female grazing on the edge of the lake. As soon as the pair of them came within twenty metres the large beasts fled. They were flighty creatures, that was for sure, and would no doubt trample a man if he stood in their way. Ziio paid no heed to the rushing beasts; instead she was looking above them. No doubt she was looking for an easy way into the trees. He spotted one even before she did and pointed to the fallen tree, one end of which still rested in another tree. It looked sturdy enough to support their weight as they travelled up it and into the standing trees. He touched her shoulder and pointed to the tree. Without a word she started towards it, gracefully scaling the bark. He was less than graceful but still made it to the top nonetheless.

He held onto the nearest branch and watched as Ziio decided which way they should go. She took one step before turning back to look at him. "Remember to be as silent as you can, if you are loud you will spook them and then you will never get a meal."

He nodded his understanding and followed her along the tracks of tree branches. It took them several long minutes before they found another gathering of elks. But this time there were two males fighting each other. The two ran at each other, antlers locking with brutal force. The clunk sound rang out through the forest, scaring several smaller creatures around them. A pair of raccoons raced under the tree they were balanced in. Ziio gestured that this was all down to him. She moved back to a different tree to give him the space to work with.

He took a step forward, wary of the thickness of the branch. Or should he say thinness of the branch. It could break if he wasn't too careful. And duelling males meant there were antlers everywhere, perfect for doing some damage. He needed to avoid them. He crouched low on the branch and examined their movements for one minute, two minutes, before deciding now was his time to strike. He flicked his wrist causing his hidden blade to eject from its holster. He aimed carefully and braced himself to strike.

A loud bang sounded and the wildlife all around them fled. A musket shot went whistling through the air and hit the branch beneath his feet, causing the branch to snap under his weight. He went crashing to the ground but instead landed on the fleeing elk's back. His weight caused the elk to buckle and his blade managed to bury itself in the creature, ending its life. If he wasn't in so much pain he would be leaping back onto his feet. Somebody had shot a musket in their direction and he was worried about Ziio. With a horrible, gut wrenching bang and thud another shot went off.


	8. Horse

"This one is dead, over 'ere! How 'bout yours?!"

He wasn't sure how long he had been old cold for but it seemed like an age. His head was pounding and his gut was killing him. His wound was healed enough not to rip open from such a fall but it didn't stop it from hurting like nothing he had ever felt before. And he had been shot. All he could see was darkness as things slowly started to filter back to him. He had been trying to catch an elk when the branch broke under his feet.. He could feel the elk lying beside him, still warm in its freshly deceased state. Why did the branch break? And the voice he could hear, the accent was most definitely British. Then it hit him. Ziio! Had she been hit! It sounded like a young redcoat was hovering over him, obviously thinking he was dead. Well, he was about to get a lesson in double checking your victims.

"I dunno, I think she's still breathin'.. Native bitch." He heard a boot connect with something solid and fought the urge to wince, no doubt he had kicked Ziio. Hopefully she was just unconscious.

Taking in a deep breath he tried to concentrate on where the redcoat was. He moved away to check on his companion and Haytham could hear them talking amongst themselves about Ziio. They both agreed that she was just knocked out but before he could make a move the first redcoat returned to his side. He heard the soft sound of his knee hit the snow then felt his presence hovering over his torso.

"Maybe we should bury 'im?"

"Nah, leave 'im for the wolves. They'll enjoy the meal."

Haytham was ready to launch when he suddenly heard a horse and carriage rolling up. More men? He wasn't sure if he could take them whilst he was injured so he decided on the safer option and continued to play dead. He knew they would come back to him eventually, confident of that fact even as his 'friend' walked away again. There were several rustling sounds and some murmured words then finally the carriage trundled away again. Hands suddenly grabbed him under his arms and he felt himself being dragged through the snow. A warm body moved over his torso again once they had stopped.

"This one ain't native, wonder what he was doing wiv 'er?" No response came so Haytham figured the young man was talking to himself. He could feel him checking him for any weapons but as soon as the young man's hands landed on his vambrace Haytham leapt into life.

His arm tore through the younger man's loose hands and he flicked his wrist to eject the hidden blade held within. He pressed the sharp tip against the man's throat and rolled them so he was now kneeling on the man's chest. The poor red coat had no idea what had hit him and looked absolutely terrified under his blade.

"You need to learn how to tell when somebody is truly dead, boy." Now that he looked at him the red coat couldn't be more than twenty years old. Truly a boy. He whimpered but did not respond, the look of terror was so strong in his pale eyes. "Now, where is my friend?"

"W-what..?" He squeaked.

"Where is the native woman?" He didn't recognise where he was, he had been dragged a good distance it turned out.

"We loaded her into the carriage."

"Why?" He growled. The boy was so scared and Haytham was rapidly growing impatient. If they had taken Ziio away he had to find her and this boy had to give up the information fast and cleanly. "Where?"

"I don't know why!" The red coat yelped and closed his eyes. He began sobbing, quietly begging God for mercy.

"God will not save you now, boy. Where did the carriage take her?!" He pressed the tip of his blade further into his throat, breaking the skin and drawing both blood and a yelp from the boy.

"There's a camp, two miles south!" He cried. "Please, sir, please don't kill me!"

Haytham snarled, trying not to let his impatience get the better of him. He would usually kill the boy, it was part of his nature, and the red coat had attacked him. But he was so young, so terrified.. Should he really spare him? A swift swipe of the sharp blade across his throat ended the blubbering boy's life very quickly. He managed to avoid most of the blood but still got a bit on his clothing. He closed the boy's eyes then moved off of him. Two miles south? He wasn't the best in the forest so he would follow the drag marks back through the woodland to find the path and he would then follow the tracks made by the carriage. Once on the path he would take to the trees, keeping out of sight. If there was a camp there would be red coats along the path no doubt.

That young boy had managed to drag him a good twenty metres towards the lake's edge, quite impressive considering the boy's size compared to his own. But soon Haytham found his way to a road. Well, dirt pathway through the forest. He had located the deer he had slaughtered as well as the spot where he felt Ziio had fallen. From there he followed the tracks to the road where they stopped. She really was loaded into the carriage.

"Why did they take you?" He asked aloud to nothing but the trees and the wildlife within them.

A tree had fallen at the side of the road but halfway up he realised that the end was nowhere close to another tree to jump to. So he jumped back off and travelled on foot, hoping he did not come across too many enemies along the way. It was nearly a mile before he encountered any form of human and it just so happened to be a red coat. There was a lone soldier leaning against a tree on the edge of the road, it almost looked as though he were asleep. Not far away a horse was tied up to another tree, rummaging through the snow to munch on some grass. Perfect.

A dead tree with many short branches allowed him access to the higher, thicker branches that would lead him over the red coat. He tried to be as silent as was possible as he crept along branch after branch, positioning himself directly over the soldier. But he had to aim carefully; he needed to keep the uniform as clean as possible. He wanted to sneak in wearing a red coat and use the man's horse too.

He waited with the patience of a saint for the man to move away from the tree ever so slightly, enough for Haytham to be able to drop cleanly on his back and stab his throat. Fifteen minutes must have passed before the man finally stepped forwards to stretch his legs. Haytham dropped gracefully and ended the man's life with one fatal jab. Blood spurted onto the snow but thankfully not his outfit. He quickly stripped the man down to his undergarments to avoid any contact with the blood. He cursed his idea as soon as he started undressing.

"Why did I think getting naked in the snow would be a good idea?!" He pulled on the red coat's warm outfit quickly. At least it fit. "The amount of times I have worn this outfit, I might as well join the bloody ranks."

He pulled on the accessories and finally fastened both his vambrace and the musket upon his back. He was ready to go so he stole the horse and started to ride deep into the red coat camp. With growing frequency he noticed groups of redcoats the closer he got to the centre of the camp. They seemed to pay no notice of him; most of them didn't even look at him. That was good; it meant his cover was working. He came across the camp at the end of the road and the carriage soon after. It was stationary just inside the wooden gates and seemingly empty from what he could see.

"Take your horse, sir?" A boy of no more than thirteen asked him, he hadn't even seen him approach.

"Ah, yes, thank you." He slid from the horse and offered the boy the reins. "Tell me boy, where is the native woman? I helped to capture her and was told she would be here."

"I am not sure, sir, I saw them carry her into the bunk house a while back. Try in there?" The boy walked off to tie off the horse and Haytham adjusted his hat. Time to find Ziio.


	9. Bullet

There were red coats everywhere he looked but he supposed he should expect that from a red coat camp. It was really quite unsettling to think that Ziio had been dragged into the centre of all this. Even though there was no way that it could be his fault, he still blamed himself. But there was that nagging question in the back of his mind, what did they even want with Ziio? All sorts of possibilities rushed through his head and he pushed them all aside, he did not wish to think of it. He kept his head down and moved to the main tent where he had seen men moving in and out regularly for the last few minutes.

He knew that the young man had said she was in the main bunk house but he had no idea where that was. He could have taken a wild guess and started to check every building in the camp but that would take time and if she had been taken into the bunk house time was truly of the essence. If any harm came to her he didn't know what he would do. He needed to find a soldier who would point him in the direction of the bunk house and the best place to start would be the main tent.

He took a step under the canvas and was immediately confronted by a soldier barely older than the boy outside. "What are you doing in here?"

"I was just looking for directions, could you help me?" Haytham asked smoothly, tilting his head slightly. "I am new to the camp, just been sent down from New York. I have been riding for hours and was told to head to the bunk house but nobody bothered to tell me where it was?"

"Ugh, new recruits." The younger man growled and pointed behind him. Haytham ignored the comment and turned to look in the direction. "That building there. I hear the lads just brought in some fun so maybe you've arrived just in time. Now get out."

He felt a hard shove on his shoulder which forced him back out of the tent. He frowned back at the man but said nothing. There was no time to waste; he knew exactly what the young soldier had meant. He doubled his pace, panic starting to bubble up through him.

"She's not awake yet, it's no fun if she ain't awake!" A voice sounded from inside as he approached.

"Just wait a bit, she will wake. She took a fair blow to her head." Another man answered then the pair laughed. Thankfully it sounded like there were only two within. He rounded the corner and found that there was indeed only the two of them; his ears had no failed him. But on the floor between them was Ziio.

It took all of his strength not to just rush to her side and slice the throats of the two soldiers standing over her. He knew they were planning to violate her and just the thought was enough to make his blood boil in his veins. At times he thought that he might burst with his anger at it. He casually strolled in, fighting every scream inside. "I was told there was fun to be had in here, boys."

"Oi, not for you, back off." The larger of the two men took a few steps towards him. "We brought her in, she isn't for you. Eddie there brought her from the frontier."

The smaller of the two nodded his head, grinning. He was crouched down beside Ziio who still remained motionless. From what he could see she was pretty much unharmed but he couldn't see very much of her. There was a nasty knock on her head but no visible gunshot wound like he had initially feared for her. She was covered in dirt, too, and her clothes were damp from snow.

"You won't share at all?" He asked with another smile. He moved further in to stand just behind the smaller man. "She looks like she will be fun."

The two men exchanged a glance and Haytham observed them in silence. They seemed to be considering his offer and Eddie seemed okay to give in, probably because he was afraid of Haytham. He knew he had an intimidating look about him. But it was the bigger man that was unsure. He finally got his answer.

"All right, but you're last. Eddie gets first go, then me." The men moved back over Ziio as she started to stir. "Here we go, boys!"

The large man rubbed his hands together eagerly and Haytham knew that there was little time to waste. Whilst Ziio started to wake up he moved behind the larger man. Within the blink of an eye he had his arm wrapped around his throat; with a sharp jolt he snapped his neck.

"What the?!" Eddie shrieked but it was cut off when Haytham's blade sank into his throat. Blood sprayed everywhere but there was little he could do about that. He had to get moving.

"Come on, Ziio, we have to move." He muttered softly as he lifted her to her feet. She was groggy but gradually coming round.

"Haytham? Where are we?" She looked around but he couldn't really waste too much time explaining. With his hidden blade he sliced her free of her binds.

"We are in a red coat camp. They found us and took you, they planned on killing me. I am here to get you out." He searched the dead men for any weapons and found a dagger which he handed to Ziio along with a pistol and a pouch to reload it. "But the camp is literally full of soldiers and I have just killed two of their men, one of which made a shout so we need to move."

"This will be a good time for you to show off the skills you have learnt."

He looked at her incredulously, now she wanted to take the time to see how he moved? It took him a moment to cotton on that she was just teasing him but the skills she had taught him would seriously help today.

"Did you see any way out of here that isn't the front gate? You cannot dress _me_ up in one of those uniforms and pass me off for a red coat, they will notice."

"Are you sure? If we move fast enough they might not notice, keep your head down." He suggested, already stooping to pull the clothes off of Eddie's mate, his clothes didn't have any blood on them.

"Haytham! I am native and a woman! And you said we didn't have the time!" But he just shoved the coat into her hands and started on the shirt.

"Just put it on, it will give us a better chance at getting you out of here." He pulled on the breeches and tugged the boots off with them. "Just put them on over what you're wearing."

She did as he asked whilst her managed to grab her one of the abandoned hats. He gently lifted her ponytail and tucked it under the hat. She smiled ever so slightly at him as he still held the edges of the hat. "I must say, it doesn't suit you. But it will do for the time being. You ready to move?"

"Trust me; I do not enjoy wearing this. But if it helps get us away, I will do anything. Do you have a plan before we just go charging out there?"

"Yes, we grab a horse and run." He turned just in time to miss her rolling her eyes at his back. He led her out of the bunkhouse and tried to act like a normal soldier.

There were fewer soldiers than before but there were still quite a large number of them, they were just milling about. It was quite disconcerting truth be told. Where had they all gone? He gestured for Ziio to follow him and he could feel her presence just behind him. "The horses are just over here."

"Soldiers!" A booming voice shouted, stopping them both in their tracks. "Where do you think you two are off to?!"

A large man approached them, judging by the markings on his uniform he was a high ranking officer. Haytham was relieved when Ziio hid herself behind him. "Sir?"

"Why aren't you two heading for training? You boy, come out from there, don't hide behind your fellow- What the hell?!"

Haytham knew that the man had noticed Ziio was a native and that now was the time to run. He grabbed Ziio's arm and literally threw her towards the horses then turned on the large officer. But it seemed he wasn't quick enough as the man had already pulled his pistol and aimed it at Haytham's chest at point blank range.

"Men, attack!" The large man boomed and Haytham ducked as a shot sounded.

He crawled across the ground on his belly as quick as his arms would pull him then pushed his hands underneath him and scrambled to his feet. He had to get away and fast. He heard the neigh of a horse and the sound of galloping hooves. He just about caught a glance of Ziio galloping out the main gate atop a brown stallion. At the very least she would be safe. He just had to fight his way out now.

"Ready! Aim!" He knew there were marksmen nearby and could hear them cock their guns. "Fire!"

He dove behind a tree just in time; several musket balls buried themselves inside that same tree. He was panting heavily with his back pressed against the rough bark – he needed a way out of this camp. He looked around him for a way of escape, checking all angles for any possible route over or through the walls. Then he noticed the branch that hung above him. If he could grab it and get to the next tree before they reloaded their muskets, he could make it. Once on the other side he could worry about stealing a horse and getting back to the camp.

"Reload!" The shout echoed in his ears and he leapt into action. He used one foot to gain purchase on the rough bark and pushed himself up high enough to catch a hold of the branch. He hauled his bulk onto the small branch and quickly scurried across it.

"Aim!" He forced himself forwards as fast as he could, leaping into the next tree. He shouted out in shock as he started to slip down the trunk, holding on with his arms and legs. "Fire!"

He hid the snow with a heavy thud; the layer wasn't as thick as he had gotten used to. He groaned softly and tried to catch his breath, as far as he could tell he was outside of the camp but only by a couple of metres. Any soldier that ventured out of the gate in search of him would have little difficulty, he had to get moving. He was back on his feet once more, disappearing into the wilderness leaving behind a trail of crimson drops against white snow.


	10. Darkness

Haytham had suffered many injuries before so he knew that the one he currently felt in his gut was quite a serious one. If it was not seen to it would kill him, both slowly and painfully. But the face that it was a slow acting wound would give him enough time to get to help. But all he really cared about was getting to Ziio, he had to make sure she was all right. But moving when one was in considerable pain was incredibly difficult and slow going, all the time his slow wound afforded him would be spent on just trying to get back to the camp.

He had told her to go to the camp and knew that she would have gone there to be safe but there was that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that something could have happened to her along the way. What if one of the red coats had caught her on the horse? A smarter one could probably follow the tracks just like he was doing, and they could almost certainly follow his blood trail. For the first one hundred metres at least. Once he had gotten a reasonable distance from the walls he had tried to form some sort of block to stem the bleeding. It has stopped the majority of the blood drops from falling.

His tracks in the snow were another matter but he couldn't even think about those any more. If somebody really wanted to catch him they would have done so already, he was moving slowly enough. It seemed the red coats had given up on him. If they knew who he was they probably wouldn't have given up that easily but for once he should thank his lucky stars that they had not known his name.

The chill was beginning to get to him as the sun declined in the sky. Just his luck he would end up freezing out here before he even got to the camp. But as chill got the better of him it started to cloud his mind, confuse the directions he had memorised on the way in. Getting lost would mean his death.

He collided with a tree with a soft grunt, grasping onto any branch that was within reach. He allowed his weight to slip down the rough bark until he was sitting on a thin layer of snow. He opened one flap of the red coat he wore and winced, the white shirt beneath was stained a darker shade of red from his own blood.

"Well done, Haytham, you got yourself shot and are now going to die in the middle of the woods." He huffed to himself, resting his head back against the tree. He had long lost his hat. "Well, at least the wolves will get a meal."

As it turned out, laughing whilst you had a gaping wound in your gut was quite painful. And it caused him to double over briefly, which also hurt.

"Give me a break." He growled, burying his fist in the snow beside him.

He allowed himself several minutes to catch his breath before using the tree to get back to his feet. His boots slipped out from under him abruptly and he crashed onto his backside with a sharp yelp of pain. He muttered a curse aimed at this damned weather. It was so much worse out here than in London, it made him miss that bloody city. Another moment later and he was ready to get up again. And this time he succeeded.

After walking some time in the dark he had no idea of how long he had been moving for or even what hour it was. Fingers and toes were slowly going numb; his hair had fallen loose of its ties. The blood trail had started afresh and he could hear the calls of predators not far off. Death was calling him.

It wasn't as though he had never faced his death before; in fact he had done so several times in his near thirty years on this planet. But he had never faced his death whilst he had something to live for. Granted, it had been a few years since his last scare but he had been closer to death than this. At least he was still able to move. For the moment. He was barely even aware of where he was going now and had somehow managed to stumble upon the camp. He could hear the horse's breathing and the crackling of the fire before he stumbled over the log they had been using as a seat. He was lucky he didn't fall face first into the fire. With a low groan he rolled flat onto his back on the damp ground.

"Who goes there?" A female voice called and he was vaguely aware of movement near the tent. "Haytham!"

She was at his side in an instant, checking the extent of the damage but he could hardly even keep his eyes open. As the moments ticked by he could feel his senses ebbing away. No longer could he feel the pressure of her hands on the wound, trying to stem the bleeding. Things were fading fast and he suddenly realised just how dire things might actually be.

"Haytham? Haytham, speak to me." She shook him roughly, now that he felt.

"Ziio.." His voice was but a rasp and he laughed at the sound of it. But the laugh came out as no more than a squeak and caused him a considerable amount of pain. "I don't.. Don't think I was as good as I.. Could have been.."

"What do you mean?"

He forced his eyes to open and he looked up at her. "Climbing trees."

He had probably left her confused for she didn't speak again. He just closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing. It was the only thing he felt he could really manage. Feeling was rapidly disappearing and now so was sound. But it seemed he still had some feeling because an abrupt slap to his face forced his eyes open.

"What?!" He groaned when he tried to sit up.

"You're not dying on me, Kenway." She said firmly but he was drifting already.

"I am sorry, Ziio.. I can't.." He winced, his eyes flickering shut only briefly. "I'm sorry I allowed myself to.. Get shot.. I was just.. Trying to rescue you.. I love you."

If she said something back to him he did not hear it. The world went dark and silent.


	11. Camp

The first thing he was aware of was pain. Pain that wracked his entire body rendering him unable to move without great difficulty. At first he tried to move his arms but they would not lift so he went for something smaller. His fingers would move, they were fine. His feet too, they moved. But moving his actually limbs was proving problematic to say the least. He also had yet to open his eyes; something was telling him that when he did so the pain in his body would be the least of his troubles.

The pain had been the first thing that struck him but now he was beginning to think past it. Why was he even able to feel pain? In those last few moments before the world had gone black he had been sure he was facing his death. He'd been close to death enough time in his life to know that this time had been the closest he had ever come to facing his maker. It was a terrifying thought but one he had come to terms with in the moments before collapsing. It now seemed he needn't have worried.

As more of his body began to respond to him the pain started to lessen, slowly but surely. Eventually he could lift his hand and he tentatively felt his torso. A severe sense of déjà vu washed over him when his fingers connected with thick bandage. Was he in fact dreaming? Or was he actually awake? He had no idea but maybe he should open his eyes.. Finally he opened them and was greeted with a wooden ceiling. Where on earth was he?

Too many questions.

He slowly forced himself up to a seated position and looked around. He was in a long building made of wood, lay beside a crackling fire. It looked as though it had been burning for some time. He wasn't cold even though he could still see the snow outside. The fire was delightfully warm.

His throat was dry and sore and he felt both hungry and thirsty. It wasn't overly surprising that he had been out for quite some time with such a serious injury. He hadn't even thought too much about where he was, he was far too interested in figuring out what was still wrong with him. It seemed he was well on the road to healing at least.

He forced himself to his feet and he found that he wasn't as shaky as he had feared he would be. His feet moved easily under him and so long as he didn't move his upper body too much the pain didn't bother him. Well, he was in constant pain but it would shock him sharply if he moved too much. His feet took him out of the building and into the bright outdoors, despite the chill of the winter air on his bare skin.

He shivered and carefully wrapped his arms tighter around his torso. He had no idea where his clothes were but the matter of where _he _was was in fact far more pressing. Before him stood a grand lake some way down the ground, the sunlight shimmering on the surface of the water. It was a very beautiful sight.

"You shouldn't be up." The voice was male and it was clear English was not the owner's first language. But he had obviously spent quite some time learning the language.

He turned to see a native man looking at him. The man was dressed in clothes similar to those Ziio had brought for him.

"Where am I?" His voice was hoarse from lack of use.

"You are in our camp. Kaniehtí:io brought you here, dragged behind a horse."

He chuckled, earning himself a sharp shock of pain through his chest. That sounded like something she would do. It would be the best way for her to carry somebody of his weight long distances. He was assuming it had been as slowly as she dared because his back didn't hurt.

"Where is she?" He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to see her but he would like the option to talk to her at least. He seemed to remember admitting something just before his 'death' and he would not like to face the aftermath just yet.

"Out, hunting. She wished to stay with you but decided she would be better off finding some meat so you could eat when you woke."

That was good, she was gone and that gave him the chance to get to grips with what had happened and what he had told her. He nodded his head and thanked the man for his help before retiring into the warmth of the hut he had woken in. The fire was still roaring well and he carefully dropped himself back onto the ground. No doubt Ziio would come in to see him when she returned from her hunting so, instead of seeking her out, he lay back and stared into the flickering flames.

He had told her that he loved her. Every word he had spoken was the truth but he had honestly thought he was dying. If he had died, it probably would have been cruel to say it like that. She would know that one important piece of information as he lay dead in her arms. What good did admitting his feelings do when he was moments from death? It wasn't the first foolish thing he had ever done in his life and it would not be the last, either. But if it had been a bad idea telling her before his death, had it not turned into a good thing? She knew of his feelings and had brought him to the safety of her home to recover from the near fatal wounds he had sustained from saving her.

That surely had to be a good sign?

Before he knew it there were sounds at the entrance to the hut and the woman in question was striding into the room. He forced himself to his feet ready to greet her but as she approached him he finally noticed the look on her face. She looked far from happy.

Her fist collided with his arm and he yelped in both shock and pain. He furiously rubbed the sore spot, staring at her. "What was that for?!"

"For dying on me!" She punched him again, harder. "And THAT was for telling me you loved me."

She had punched him in the other arm so he dropped his hand to rub the more painful spot. But that left himself open to a final, third blow to the spot where she had punched him first. "And that is for saying you love me just before dying!"

His arms were throbbing now, causing him almost as much pain as the bullet wounds in his torso! He just stared at her in shock and she just stared back at him, fury blazing in her eyes. The next few moments moved so quickly that he could hardly believe they had even happened for several long minutes afterwards.

Her breathing was heightened from her anger and he became acutely aware of how it huffed past her lips. She must have noticed where his eyes were lingering because within an instant she had thrown herself at him. His arms immediately wrapped around her and she clung to him as their lips met in a passionate kiss. All pain fled from his body as it was replaced with her. Nothing but Ziio.

She was the first to pull back, breathing heavily and almost looking embarrassed. But he just smiled and lifted a hand to gently touch her cheek.

"Ziio, I love you." He whispered and pressed his lips to her softly. She didn't pull away, thankfully, just relaxed in his arms.

There was a long period of silence after they pulled apart and he just held her, waiting patiently. It felt good to be able to say it. She sighed softly and rested her head against his chest. He was more than content to just stay like this when he heard her voice. "I love you too."

* * *

_It's done, folks! I hope you all enjoyed my little frolic with Haytham and Ziio. One day I may do more! :)_


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